Japan Ambassador to RMI Hideyuki Mitsuoka handed over disaster risk reduction equipment to the RMI government at the Public Works yard last Wednesday.
Ministers Mattlan Zackhras and Tony Muller were on hand to receive the donation of heavy equipment, as were Chief Secretary Justina Langidrik, and many representatives of both governments. Rev. Mack Aikuij blessed the event.
The items of disaster risk reduction equipment arrived in the RMI are part of grant donation offered by Japan under the “Non-Project Grant Aid for the Provision of Japanese Disaster Risk Reduction Equipment.”
The implementation of this grant was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to former RMI President Christopher Loeak at the bilateral meeting held during the seventh Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM7) which took place in Iwaki City, Fukushima, Japan in May 2015. The Exchange of Notes was later signed in July last year in Majuro between the two governments, granting 300 million Japanese Yen (approximately $2.9 million), and Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) has been acting as a procurement agency on behalf of the RMI.
The disaster risk reduction equipment that was blessed last week is the first of two shipments. They include two forklifts, two mini excavators, four plate compactors, four flood lights with diesel engine, two temporary male’s toilet tent sets, two temporary female’s toilet tent sets, and 10 shelter tents. Some went directly to Ebeye, while others are in Majuro.
Read more about this in the September 30, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.